One thing I am missing this year is a clear boundary marking the end of the ‘summer holidays’. My placement was due to start in January 2026. Unfortunately, due to some issues beyond anyone’s control I didn’t get started until April. This meant working on through the whole summer playing catchup. I am on a two week break from counselling currently and that will be the extent of my summer holiday from college work this year. I had a meeting in the college on Monday last week to get my placement paperwork all finalised and I submitted my final assignment for year two on the 11th of August, three days before the deadline. I was hoping I’d get my final grades on Monday but I’m assured they will come early next week by the latest.
My deposit for my fees for year three is already paid and I have invested in a lovely new man-bag, not very ladylike but very cool and very functional. I’ve also stocked up on stationery and supplies. Back to school shopping, generally is a big indication of the summer coming to an end. This year I don’t have a clear line between the end of year two and the beginning of year three. The two academic years seem to be bleeding profusely into each other.
Autumn is my favourite time of year, it always marks a new beginning for me. I very much doubt I’ll have time this year for taking photos of the rich colours of the autumn leaves. I won’t have time for walking in the woods and hearing the crisp crunching sounds I make as I walk on the fallen leaves and they disintegrate under foot. I have taken up new hobbies lately, the sort that work in all weathers. I’ve joined two creative writing groups since the start of the summer and have become a member of a newly formed choir. I know myself that I am probably trying to do too much and it would be nice to have a bit more time to just sit and exist but being alone with my own thoughts for too long can be counterproductive at times too.
It has been some time since I bought something frivolous for myself and I feel the growing itch of impulsivity. No doubt I will have a few counselling books to add to my collection in September and if I can, I’ll add some small thing to my amazon order just for me. The value of self-care is one of the most important lessons I’ve learned on this journey.
The days are growing shorter again and I’m already starting to worry about managing on the roads when the cold weather makes it’s way back. I remind myself that this is a problem for future me and bring myself back to the here and now. My next task is assignment 3 for the course I’m doing for work. I resolve to get a good run at it next week. This week sort of filled up as my weeks seem to have a tendency to do.
I realise that my intention for this piece was to be a creative writing exercise but somehow what I have written is a journal entry. I guess what I have written just needed to come out of my head at this point in time. That’s how it goes sometimes.
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